Za'atar Salmon with Roasted Dates and Cucumber
By Jessica RudolphPublished on June 2, 2026
Time
30 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
To ensure uniform pieces of fish, we prefer to purchase a whole center-cut salmon fillet and cut it into four equal pieces. You can purchase za’atar in the spice section of many grocery stores or online, or you can make our recipe.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spread ¼ cup za’atar on plate. Sprinkle 4 salmon fillets all over with ½ teaspoon table salt, then press tops and bottoms of each fillet into za’atar. Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place fillets in skillet, skinned side up, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until coating begins to brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Carefully flip fillets and scatter 6 pitted Medjool dates, quartered lengthwise, around salmon. Drizzle dates with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with pinch salt. Transfer skillet to oven. Bake until centers of fillets register 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 10 to 14 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place ½ red onion, sliced thin, in small bowl, cover with ice water, and let sit for 10 minutes. Combine 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon oil in second small bowl.
- Drain onion. Place 1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and cut into ¾-inch chunks, in large bowl. Add onion and remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss to combine. Divide yogurt mixture evenly among individual plates and spread into even layer. Divide salmon, dates, and salad among plates and serve.
Time
30 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
For a satisfyingly crackly crust on our salmon, we turn to za’atar; the combination of herbal thyme, tart sumac, and nutty sesame seeds provides layers of flavor to the salmon. To make sure the spice coating doesn’t get too dark and bitter, we lightly sear the coated fillets on the stovetop before finishing them in a moderate oven. We scatter slivered dates around the skillet before sliding it into the oven, where the dates turn meltingly soft and caramelly. To contrast the warm, rich fish and dates, we spread a bed of tangy, lemony yogurt on the plate and add a cooling cucumber salad.
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